Paul gmehlin



(No Model.)

P. GMEHLIN.

UPRIGHT PIANO OASE.

Pgented Oct. 9, 1883. 94,

WITNESSES n. PEYEIS, mummmr. Wadvnglm. ac.

UNITE STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL GMEHLIN, or new YORK, n. Y.

UPRlGHT-PIANO CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,425, dated October9, 1883.

Application filed March 2!), 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, PAUL GMEHLIN, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Upright-PianoCases, of which the follow ing is a specification.

Cases for upright pianos have been constructed with a movable frontpanel below the top, which panel could be thrown back without disturbingthe top and the ornamental articles usually placed thereon. This hingedfront panel, however, increased the height of the case, as it had to bestored away in its rearmost position below the top proper, and required,furthermore, a screen at the upper part of the wrest-plank, so as tohide the same and prevent its being seen through the open space that isformed at the front of the case when the movable panel is thrown back.

The object of this invention is to provide a case for an upright pianoin which a reversible front panel is employed that can be thrown intoopen or closed position against the front edge of the top or the upperedge of the front frame, so as to increase or decrease the volume ofsound of the piano, said panel assisting, when opened, the escape of thesounds, and covering in this position the upper part of the wrest-plankand its accessories.

The invention consists of a piano-case provided with an opening betweenthe upper edge of the front frame and the front edge of the top, and ofa reversible front panel that swings on pivots located equidistantly, ornearly so, from the upper and lower edges of the panel in suitablebearings, and is operated by means of a suitable intermediate levermechanism and auxiliary pedal, so as to assume, when opened, an inclinedposition, extending from the front edge of the top down wardly towardthe sounding-board, as will more fully appear hereinafter, and finallybe pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation ofan uprightpiano casing shown with part broken away and the reversiblefront panel removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical. transverse section on line atm, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the reversiblepanel, drawn 011 a larger scale, and showing the front panel in openposition by dotted lines.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the front frame, B B the sides,and O the hinged top, of my improved ease for upright pianos. Betweenthe upper edge of the front frame, A, and the front edge of the top 0 isprovided an opening, a, which is closed by a reversible front panel, D,of segmental or ogee shape, said panel being provided with rearbrackets. D, which are pivoted either to bearings of the sides B B or toauxiliary brackets E E, that are rigidly secured to the rear side of thefront frame, A, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The pivots of the reversiblepanel D are located midway, or nearly so, between the front edge of thetop and the upper edge of the front frame, and above the level of theedge of the front frame, the lower part of the panel below the pivotsbeing made longer than the upper part above the pivots, so that thepanel D abuts, respectively, over the edge of the front frame when inclosed position, and over the edge of the top when in open position. Inopen position it extends at about an angle of sixty degrees to thevertical plane from the front edge of the top 0 downward toward thesounding-board, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,'so as to cover theupper part of the wrest-plank, and assist in throwing out the volume ofsound through the opening a at the upper part of the case. In open orreversed position the front panel also serves either for displaying thename of the maker on its rear side, or it may be ornamented on that sidein an attractive manner, or covered with a mirror, so as to show byreflection the movements of the hammers while playing. When in closedposition, the panel abuts over the upper edge of the front frame, B, asshown in Fig. 3, while in op en position it abuts against the front edgeof the top. The upper part of one of the brack ets D of the front panel,D, is provided with a projecting stud or pin, d, that is engaged by "ashort rod, (1, having a hook-shaped upper end, (P, the rod d beinghinged to a vertical slide-rod, F, and retained by a spring-strap, cl",in proper position. The sliderod F is guided in braeketsf of the case,and acted upon at the lower end by a fulcrumed and springpressed lever,F, that is again acted upon by a second fulcrumed lever, F, whichisoperremove the latter, together with the reversible panel, which ismore convenient for use. The sides B B of the case are cut away to suitthe molding of the reversible panel. The reversible panel may also beopened directly by taking hold of its lower part or molding, whichprojects to the outside of the front frame, A, and rests in the usualmanneron rubber cushioning-tips of the front frame, A. The pin d becomesdetached from the hook-shaped end of rod d by the reversing of the frontpanel, I and re-engages the same when the panel is closed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1 as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1; The combination, with an upright-piano casehaving an opening between the upper edge of the front frame and thefront edge of the top, of a reversible front panel having rear bracketsthat are pivoted to bearings of the side walls or front frame at pointsmidway, or nearly so, between the edges of the front frame and top, thelower part of the panel below the pivots being longer than the upperpart above the pivots, so that said lower part abuts, respectively, overthe edges of the front frame and top when in closed or open position,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of an upright piano case having an opening betweenthe upper edge of the front frame and the front edge of the top, areversible front panel, brackets applied to the rear side of the paneland pivoted to bearings of the sides or front frameof the case, and anintermediate-lever mechanism, whereby the front panel is connected withan auxiliary pedal, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with an upright-piano case having an opening, a,between the upper edge of the front frame and the front edge of the top,of a reversible front panel, D, fulcrumed by rear brackets to the sidesor front frame of the case, said panel having at its upper end abackwardly-projecting stud or pin, (1, a hinged and spring-acted rod, d,having hook-shaped end engaging said pin, a vertically-guided slide-rod,F, intermediate levers,

.F F connecting-rod Ffland pedal F, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL GMEHLIN.

Witnesses:

PAUL GonrEL, SIDNEY MANN.

